For The Summer
by evm
Summary: Cook is impatient so they don't go back for JJ's shoes, just hit the landing running and pay for the heavy metal show as the evening steals up. JJ/Cook.


**Notes**: This is set in the summer before series 3 starts.

_"I miss the innocence I've known  
Playing Kiss covers beautiful and stoned  
Unlock my body and move myself to dance  
Into warm liquid, flowing blowing glass  
Classical music blasting masks the ringing in my ears  
Oh I sincerely miss those heavy metal bands  
I used to go see on the landing in the summer"_

_- Wilco, "Heavy Metal Drummer"_

In the summer...

In the summer Cook goes shirtless most days; he bullies his way onto the skins team when they play football in the park and after, well, he never feels like putting it back on, walks down the street leering at every girl they pass flipping off anyone who gives him a dirty look for his "indecent exposure". The freckles on his back stand out coming to prominence, a constellation splashed across his shoulders but JJ's only fade in across the bridge of his nose, not some wild proof of his love letter to the sun, just a spotty annoyance. And Freddie's just too dark to start with.

The only time Cook ever bothers to put it back on is when he ambles into the corner mart and lifts a bottle of Smirnof, tucking it into the waistband of his jeans. When he comes back out, JJ makes a face and Cook just laughs, and pulls out a can of mango nectar. (Just for you, J, you twat). But he looks sideways from under his lashes as Cook takes a swig from the bottle, and so Cook shoves the bottle into his hands and chants drink, drink, drink! Freddie punches Cook in the arm and says, don't if you don't want to, J, but he laughs all the same. And so JJ winds up upending the bottle and coughs as he sucks it down the wrong way it burns and burns searing sweetness and the mango just like sunlight he splutters and finishes, gasping, feels it down to where his toes are curling in his shoes.

In the summer...

They bike back from the park, JJ sits on the handle bars (Cook argues that this is the girl's position and JJ is smaller which isn't at all true) and leans back into Cook warm breath, panting hard from peddling against the weight of both of them. He's barefoot from when Cook pushed him in the river and his chucks fell and sank to the bottom, already loosened from the day. But he doesn't want to worry about that, with Cook behind him, vibrant, and his skin is so dry tightened by the sunlight heat. Their hair is bleaching, chlorine from the public pool and the constant light.

Cook is impatient so they don't go back for JJ's shoes, just hit the landing running and pay for the heavy metal show as the evening steals up. Can't get dark until ten (Summer Solstice Northern Hemisphere) and so they exist somewhere in the sound and the gap of dimming sky air colored blue by pavement and fading light. Freddie meets them there, his hands already heavy with paper wristbands from other shows last week. He frowns at JJ's missing shoes, but JJ shrugs and smiles and nods at Cook and Freddie understands about Cook's urge for fast now go don't stop. So Freddie kicks off his Vans for JJ to borrow, because he doesn't care anyway. Freddie feels the current in the asphalt better this way, the beat of the drummer and the heavy metal base, tribal movements match his mind already smoky/fuzzy playing reality on loop like a shaky circuit.

Afterwards and there won't be anymore encores, Freddie says, hey I'm out but I met this guy...

JJ knows it's because his high is wearing off, and Cook agrees, hey hook us up Freddie boy! Then he turns and asks, J?

JJ shakes his head. Mmmm, no. But you go on ahead, Cook.

You sure, J? Freddie furrows his brow, and JJ just shrugs and tries to smile like he means it.

Catch you later then, J-man! Oh, I might not make it back home, so leave your window cracked, 'kay mate? Cook calls over his shoulder before walking away with Freddie, still barefoot and grinning, dreaming of chronic flowers in the darkness.

JJ stares a while and then turns away to collect his bike and start home.

In the Summer...

JJ wakes and sits bolt upright to loud crashing and cursing outside his window, Cook trying to climb up and through while blinded by darkness and his own glazed eyes. He knows it's got to be Cook and still his heart races and tries to climb into his throat and so when Cook finally tumbles onto his bedroom floor, JJ is breathing just as heavily as Cook. They sit for a few seconds, the only sound their loud inhalations until Cook surges up again and staggers to JJ's bed, falling into it with a loud grunt.

Ah! JJ, he cries out, much too loud for so late. He rolls to face JJ, his dialated pupils huge even in the stillness. JJ! I got it sorted! he yells out again.

Cook! JJ hisses. You can't yell like that. You'll wake my mum, and he looks nervously towards the door.

Doesn't matter! I got it all sorted! Cook continues to boom. JJ sighs.

Okay, Cook. You can tell me all about it, just, outside, if you please.

He leads Cook down the street and to the closest park, shutting and locking the door softly behind them. He leads Cook carefully by the hand so he won't loose Cook into the night, which has suddenly come alive and irresistible to Cook, vast and impossible inside his head. Cook laughs loudly at everything they pass, and wants to catch the streetlight in his hands so he can show it to JJ better, and JJ has to try and explain that it's impossible (even if it were solid which it's not probably a wave and he's not fast enough besides can't flicker in and out at 299,792,458 meters per second).

But they get there and by now Cook is shivering he lost his jacket and he begins to stutter no longer laughing he sits and wraps his arms around his legs shudders and groans.

JJ sits closer and asks him what's wrong, but by now Cook can't even think hardly enough to try and explain.

Ummm...My insides have.... he tries, but starts halting when his mind stops and and starts, trying to fight through hour long minutes. My insides are...gone all wrong-like, JJ. I don't think ...it's me in there anymore...I don't....exist. JJ, I....touch my hand it's too...I can't....

So JJ laces his fingers with Cook's and tries not to pull away too much as Cook brings up his free hand to stroke JJ's face, again again again. He brushes his hand roughly against JJ's cheek, eyes spinning and wide.

I feel...like you're... there, JJ. He closes his eyes finally, and sighs. Here, he says. You're...here. With me. I'm here.

Mmmhmm, JJ agrees softly, and lets out a long shaky breath he didn't even know he was holding.

Mmmm, JJ, Cook sighs again.

What, Cook?

Grass, JJ. It's all around us. And lights...um...I mean... stars.

Um, yes, Cook. That's definitely true. And... you know you can let go of my hand now, right?

Don't wanna. Cook mumbles, leaning heavily into JJ, before tipping over backwards, carrying a startled JJ with him.

Cook! JJ squeaks ungracefully.

I'm cold, you're warm, he mutters the answer to JJ's unasked question into JJ's neck.

JJ slowly untenses, not exactly relaxing into Cook's awkward embrace, and rolls his eyes up to the sky, resigning himself to a night spent lying awake on the park green.

Wanna know the answer? Cook asks one final time as he drifts off, coasting to the far off sound of traffic and night.

Hmm?

When I said I had it sorted, when I knew....it was...you.


End file.
